BERLIN  The Swiss branch of the Red Cross says it is cutting its supply of donor blood to Greece because the country has failed to pay its bills on time.

The head of the Swiss Red Cross’ transfusion service says the number of blood packets delivered to Greece will be halved to 14,000 by 2020.

Rudolf Schwabe on Tuesday confirmed Swiss media reports that Greece had run up debts of several million dollars in the past.

Those debts have been repaid, but Schwabe says the nonprofit Swiss Red Cross took the decision to limit its financial risk.

The Swiss blood sent to Greece comes from unused emergency stockpiles. It helps meet high demand in Greece caused by the prevalence of thalassemia, a genetic disorder whose carriers need regular blood transfusions.

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Gee NON-PROFITS taking DONATED blood and then cutting off supply for those who lack the funds.. I understand the need to pay your expenses BUT this is WRONG.. The RED CROSS worldwide has become a sham. They have one of the WORST ratios of money donated to what actually reaches the needy and the highest administrative costs... Maybe THEY should be restructured a bit huh?

NONSHEEPLE has a good point. Too many $$$$$ flowing to the top and not enough down to where it "supposed" to go. I remember when Elizabeth Dole was its head and she was making over a quarter of a million a year and the blood supplies were contaminated with the HIV virus because of their lack of controls. Sad and too bad because here is another former honorable so-called "charitable" group that has been corrupted.